A new island with a diameter of 100 meters has emerged in the sea off Iwo Jima, Japan, due to a volcanic eruption. Iwo Jima is well known for the Battle of Iwo Jima (硫?島, also known as Sulfur Island) fought between the US and Japanese forces during World War II.
According to NHK on the 5th, the new island was formed as rocks accumulated following an eruption about 1 km south of Iwo Jima last month. Associate Professor Maeno Fukashi from the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo stated, "It seems magma is being discharged nearby," and added, "The accumulated erupted rocks appear to have created the island."
Steam venting around the new island [Photo by University of Tokyo Earthquake Research Institute website]
Iwo Jima is an island located roughly midway between Japan and Guam. It is well known as the backdrop of the famous photograph showing US Marines raising the American flag after fierce fighting with Japanese forces during World War II.
The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan analyzed earlier this year that the island has grown about 1.3 times in area over the past nine years due to uplift caused by active volcanic activity.
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